


Ashes, ashes we all fall down.

by WhatATime



Series: I open my mouth, but nothing comes out. [5]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Brotherly Affection, Brotherly Love, Damian Wayne is Bad at Feelings, Damian Wayne is a good little brother, Depression, Dick Bruce and Jason all take minor roles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Drama, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Self-Harm
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-23
Updated: 2018-12-23
Packaged: 2019-09-25 20:42:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,484
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17128397
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WhatATime/pseuds/WhatATime
Summary: Tim's gone missing. Damian finds him.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Hey!
> 
> Welcome back to those of you who've been coming on this train for a while, and here's an original welcome for you newcomers.
> 
> This work is 2 chapters, and I'm posting them both today 'cause I have a X-Mas Eve fic in this series to post tomorrow.
> 
> Enjoy!

Damian sneered as he walked through the safehouse. He only knew about it because he kept tabs on the family. Someone had to, after all. He’d hate for them to be… harmed. His father would hate for them to be harmed. He didn’t care much about the rest of them. He wanted to call for the idiot, but fate wouldn’t make it so. 

 

Damian stopped at the lump in the full sized bed. The soft snores of Timothy Drake came from them. Everyone had been looking for him for two weeks. ‘Has anyone seen Tim?’ and ‘I do hope Master Tim calls soon’ were all Damian heard. It was driving him crazy. 

 

He flung he blanket off of the young man. Tim didn’t move or make a sound. Dried tear stains were prominent. Damian sat down, causing the bed to dip. He tapped Tim until he woke. Tim stared at him blankly before finally letting his eyes close once again. 

 

This was just great. His father’s favorite was at the bottom of a downward spiral. His father needed to tend to his sons’ emotional needs better. Damian was different. He was raised to not need those. He was a rarity though.

 

He wished he could speak. Most people used words of comfort in this moment. He had them,  but they wouldn’t do any help unless Tim heard them. Damian put a hand on Tim’s head. He’d read in Martha’s diary that it was a comforting action for his father as a boy. It would maybe work. He wished he was better equipped than this. He rested Tim’s head on his lap.

 

Damian thought through things Jason sometimes did with him. Things his mother used to do. Things he wished his father did. Discussions he’d had with Jack on cold, rainy nights he didn’t like being in the manor. He rubbed Tim’s arm gently. The teen let out a choked sob. Damian’s pants grew wet with tears. He didn’t mind as much as he thought he should. 

 

After a long three hours, two minutes, and fifty three seconds, Tim went silent. Damian raised his head and slipped from under him. He headed off to the bathroom and started the water in the bathtub. He wanted to call Dick or somebody, but that would be a betrayal of trust. He was no stranger to the power of trust and loyalty.

 

He collected clothing for his father’s youngest orphan before turning the water off. He stripped Tim quickly but warmly then helped the teen into the bathtub. Tim shivered slightly. Damian gingerly wiped him off with a washcloth. He let Tim stay in the water until it cooled. At that point, he drained the tub and wrapped him in a fluffy white towel.

 

He kept a hand on Tim’s back as they exited the bathroom for the bedroom. Damian efficiently tended to Tim’s neglected patrol injuries. They were mostly cuts and bruises. Once done, Tim got as far as his sweatpants dressing wise. Damian slipped the shirt over his head and covered him back up in the bed.

 

He tended to the house: washing dishes, organizing books and files, doing laundry. He didn’t mind them. He remembers his grandfather saying that one should know how to do everything his servant can in the case that he’s forced to kill the servant and can’t immediately hire a new one. Damian merely liked being independent.

 

Once done with chores, he went through the cupboards to see Tim didn’t leave him many options for cooking. He ended up ordering in Chinese. He got plain rice and chicken, hoping they wouldn’t be too much for Tim’s stomach.

 

He was about to go to Red Robin when his phone rang. He answered it to see his father.  _ “Damian, where are you?” _ He’d made sure his father couldn’t track his phone for times like this.  _ “Whose apartment is that?” _

_ It is Mother’s. I will be staying the night. _ Bruce nodded.

_ “Fine, but you need to check in before you go to bed and when you wake up.” _ He nodded then hung up. Jason would probably be a bigger problem than his father in all honesty. He carried the plastic bag of food to Tim’s living room and set it on the coffee table.

 

The arduous task of getting Tim out of bed resulted in Damian having to drag him. He rolled his eyes as he put Tim on the sofa with crossed legs. He opened the box of rice and poked a spoon inside. He offered it to Tim. The teen didn’t take it though. Damian frowned as he thought over what to do.

 

He eventually tucked a napkin in Tim’s shirt and offered the rice on a spoon. After a solid minute of pressing it to Tim’s lips, they allowed passage through into his mouth. The pattern was continued until Tim whined for him to stop. Although it was a bit childish, Damian didn’t hold it against him and removed the napkin.

 

He turned the TV on in hopes to pique Tim’s interest in something. That and the silence was bothering him. He didn’t like it. Damian sat on the opposite end of the sofa from Tim. The nature channel was the only sound for the longest time. “Dam.” It seemed Tim had shortened the already inane nickname even more. Damian turned to him. Tim didn’t say anything else though. He slowly, and when Damian says slow, he’s not being impatient, inched over to Damian. He then planted himself right next to him.

 

Damian wrapped the lanky teen in a hug. He did his best to gauge his grip, not wanting to smother Tim but still make him feel safe. Tim hummed quietly. “B?” Damian shook his head. Damian felt badly that those were all the words Tim had the energy to grind out. Quiet was never fun.

 

He watched the tadpoles swim. He liked them. He knew that they wouldn’t be tadpoles forever, but they seemed to enjoy being tadpoles. He liked that a lot. If one asked him why, he’d probably be speechless. His mouth curved upwards at the rare moment of humor. He looked down as Tim muttered quietly. He couldn’t quite make out the words. In no position to stop Tim, Damian let him ramble until he tired himself out and drifted off.

…

Damian woke up with a wet pool of saliva on him. He cringed as he looked down at Tim. The young man was constricting his breathing. Damian didn’t think it was bad enough to disturb him though. He laid and thought until Tim awoke.

 

When Tim did, he stared up at Damian for a good half hour before rolling off of him. Damian sat up and leaned against the bed frame. Tim curled up next to him. ”I’m nothing,” he whispered. Damian shook his head as he drew infinity signs into Tim’s wrist.

_ Jason’s in town. _ Tim laid his head on Damian’s shoulder. 

“No.”

_ They’ve been worried, calling you non-stop. _

“Well… I-- my phone--I don’t…” Tim trailed off. This surprised Damian. Tim had the most tact of all the Gothamites. He had so much tact he could pretend he didn't with the help of it. “You didn’t call?”

_ I knew where to find you. _

“Could yo-- again? I missed…” Damian signed it again without complaint. Tim nodded. “Have they noticed Red Robin?” Damian nodded. “Should probably go out then…”

_ You don’t want to? _

“Might fling myself off a building,” Tim muttered. Damian wasn’t sure that he was supposed to hear that. “You weren’t.” 

Damian nodded as he slipped off of the bed, holding one of Tim’s hands. They left out the room.

 

Damian made breakfast while Tim slept at the kitchen table. He sat a bowl of oatmeal he’d scrounged up in front of Tim. He ate half of it before Damian relocated him to the living room. He didn’t turn the TV on this time.  _ You don’t like Dr. Thompkins? _ It was a simple question. Tim was quiet as he thought.

“No,” he finally replied.

_ Online? _ His eyebrows rose at the suggestion.

“Dunno.” He pressed himself into Damian’s side. “Why’re you always so warm? It should be a crime to be this warm.” Damian smiled and shrugged. Tim snuggled into him some more.

…

Damian pushed Tim into the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He sat down at the doorway with a book as he listened. The shower came on a minute later. Tim usually took six minutes, so he approximated twelve for this one. Factoring in five minutes to get dressed.

 

It was twenty minutes when Damian knocked on the door. The shower still went strong. He opened the door. Tim’s silhouette was on the floor of the tub behind the curtain. He cringed when the cold water splattered on him as he turned the water off. Tim shivered. Damian covered him with a towel. He tugged until Tim finally stood and left the cold bathing hole. 

 

Damian helped him get dressed then put him to bed. Tim stared despondently at the wall. The doorbell rang. They’d been caught. Damian managed to hide Tim in a hidden closet for Tim’s uniform. He tucked a blanket around him before closing it. 

 

Damian half ran to the door before opening it. Dick stood there with a smirk. “Hey, Dami. B told me you’re vacationing here.” Damian shrugged. “Are you going to invite me in?” Damian moved out of the way for Dick to enter. “You realize that we’re like the only ones not off the grid? Can’t find Tim or Jason. Duke’s camping or something with his school. Cass is… Cass.” He nodded. “So… what’ve you been up to?”

_ Nothing.  _

“Nothing?” He nodded. “Is anyone with you?” Damian shook his head. Dick scanned the room. “Okay… I was just dropping in on my way to the night shift.” He gave Damian a hug. “I’ll see you later.” Damian nodded as Dick left.

 

He went back to Tim’s room and closed the door. Upon opening the compartment, he saw Tim had fallen asleep. Damian shook him awake and got him to go back to the bed. “Sorry,” he whispered. Damian rolled his eyes, taking a seat next to Tim. His eyes were opened halfway. Tim scooted onto his legs. Damian positioned some of his knives differently to compensate. Tim didn’t seem to notice.  


	2. Chapter 2

“It’s your turn, Demon baby.” Damian stared down Tim’s door. “And that’s not gonna work. I bet B’ll get you a kitty if you get in.” Damian didn’t want another pet. Well, he did, but his mother would just gas them. He couldn’t let innocent creatures get harmed due to his negligence. He refused. No matter how much he missed Alfred. 

 

Damian knocked. He received no answer. The young assassin knocked again. “Who is it?” Jason’s eyes widened. Damian waved Jason off and sat down in front of the door. The young man left him alone. He knocked again in morse code. “I don’t care if they want me to come out. I’m busy.”

 

Timothy Jackson Drake was too fragile and precious for this world. He reminded Damian of a porcelain doll his mother had. It was scratched beyond repair with a pristine dress. That’s how Tim was in his mind. He knew it would upset the young man to hear it though. He put his knuckles to the door again.  _ I suggest you open the door. _ Tim didn’t respond.  _ I didn’t tell them anything. _

“I know.”

_ What did I do then? _

“Nothing.” Tim was most definitely by the door now. 

_ Father and Pennyworth are concerned with your health. _

“Bruce and Alfred don’t need to worry.” Tim hadn’t taken one plate they’d brought. A few days ago, Damian had resorted to slipping the candy Jason made him under the door in hopes that the teen wouldn’t waste away. “I got the pills.” Tim thought too much for his own good.

_ May I enter? _

 

The door clicked open a minute later. Damian came inside and closed the door behind him. Tim locked it back. The room was so clean. The only indication someone had been living in there was the bed. The sheets and blankets were in disarray.

 

Tim sunk to the ground against the wall, hiding his face. His wrist revealed bloody bandages. His father’s family had a right to worry if this was what's been going on the week Tim had been holed up in his room. Tim’s voice was muffled. Damian nodded. He wasn’t sure of what to do in this situation. 

 

He took a seat by Tim. nudging him. Tim peeked from under his arms.  _ What do you need? _

Tim shrugged. Tears threatened to spill out of the red-rimmed blue eyes. 

“I-I dun-dunno.” Damian browsed his mind for the answer. What did Jason and Dick do when he was sad? A hug, he thinks. Most days like that are fuzzy at best though. Maybe Tim wanted a hug. He could give a hug. Not a good hug, but a hug Damian could give nonetheless. He wrapped his arms around Tim. They usually said nice things too, but he couldn’t say things. Just think them. Maybe Tim would hear them? Imagine them?

 

They sat like that for what felt like forever. “Thanks,” Tim whispered. He wondered if he should call someone else at this point. “Is Dick home?” Damian shook his head. The young man was off in Bludhaven. “Phone.” Damian left Tim’s side for the quickest second to retrieve it. 

 

Tim dialed Dick’s number. It ringed and ringed and ringed until Dick said,  _ “Hey, Timmy.” _

Tim didn’t respond. 

_ “Everything okay?” _ Dick’s voice had taken a more serious tone.

“Uh.” Tim didn’t say anything more.

_ “It’s been a while since we caught up, huh? This life keeps us busy.” _

“Mmhm.”

_ “What’ve you been up to?” _

Tim sniffled. 

_ “Anybody with you?” _

Silence. 

_ “Hey, Tim? Timmy? Anyone with you?” _

“Y-yes.” 

_ “Who? Jay?” _

“Damian.” 

_ “Put him on the phone.” _ Tim handed the phone to Damian and laid on his lap.  _ “Hey, Dami. Oh, wait a minute.” _ Dick hung up. He called back a minute later with video. The man smiled. The creases under his eyes didn’t look any darker than normal.  _ “That’s better. What’s he doing?” _

_ Sitting. _

_ “In his room?” _

_ He’s been in here for a week. _

_ “...Has Bruce been by?” _

_ Tim wouldn’t let him inside. _ Soft snores came from the teen now. Damian prayed he didn’t slob.

_ “Anything worrisome?” _

_ He cut his wrists. _

Dick was agape for the slightest second. He composed himself.  _ “Are they still bleeding?” _ Damian shook his head.  _ “Good. Is Jay around?” _

_ In the cave, I think. _

_ “When we get off of the phone, call him up.” _ Damian nodded.  _ “I’ll be there in two hours.” _ He could see Dick packing a bag.  _ “Okay?” _ Damian nodded.  _ “Good. I gotta go.” _ Dick hung up the phone. Damian went to call Jason.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Get ready for the last fic of the Holidays tomorrow!
> 
> Tumblr: whambamthanksbatfam.tumblr.com

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me what you thought in the comments or on Tumblr: whambamthanksbatfam.tumblr.com
> 
> If you have any requests for other fics, you can send them there too!


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